'The act of Black Love between a woman & man is the most revolutionary act we can partake' What's your definition of Black Love?

The term itself can sound ridiculous to anyone who isn't familiar to it, because how on earth can love be coloured?

But I guess just like love is gendered, it can also be coloured because there is such thing as the 'Black Love' experience. If may be impossible for some of us to describe in its entirety and explain to others as its definition varies. Its definition is personal to the black individuals between whom this love is shared. So we asked what the term 'black love' meant to you. Below are some of the responses collected.

“Black Love for me is essentially and firstly about love of self, and of ones culture. Knowing the reasons why it is possible for you to be here allows you to love on a higher spiritual level. There are many different levels of love, the love to and from a mother and child which is intrinsically known and is everlasting and unconditional, the love of other humans which is also unconditional as a child and can change as you get older and wiser. Love between siblings which can often be turbulent but due to the family connections can never die.

The love between a man and a woman for me, especially an African (Black Man) and Wombman is totally beautiful. Now, I acknowledge that each race may say this about their own but as it is symbolises me and reflects me, I am going to be more attracted to it. The individual’s spiritual connection for me depends on how deep the love can be as there is an overstanding of purpose, duty, and all of nature’s laws. – Nyarai

For me, Black Love embodies many things, overstanding, teaching , balance, learning, humbleness, patience, guidance, the ability to share ,support, encourage and to stand firm around beliefs and cultural values that other may not overstand.”

“I've heard folks raise similar concerns to invoking the term "Black love." As someone who uses it, I deploy the term to mean the love and loving that Black folks do with one another that builds affirmation and community. This applies to heterosexual couples, families; love between friends, same gender loving folks, and between people that may not be familiar with each other. To me this is especially crucial for Black folks since we live in an anti-Black world generally, and society in particular. So to love and affirm each other in the face of anti-Black assaults (from within and outside of the "community") is not only necessary and important but revolutionary!” –